PROPOSED TRACTOR RULES WILL DRIVE FARMERS OFF ROADS – IFA

03 Mar 2011

PROPOSED TRACTOR RULES WILL DRIVE FARMERS OFF ROADS – IFA

IFA Environment and Rural Affairs Chairman Pat Farrell led a delegation to meet senior officials from the Department of Transport to make it clear that the proposed changes to the use of agricultural tractors on public roads are excessive.

He said, “The current proposals are unworkable and are clearly driven by an agenda to create work for the road hauliers and add huge costs for many farmers, in particular those in the tillage and grain sectors. Farmers who comply with the safety requirements as set out in their on-farm safety statement should not now have to duplicate this safety requirement because of this proposed legislation.”

“The Department tried desperately to push these changes through in the last days of the previous Government. The new Minister for Transport must immediately begin a consultation process with farmers and all other stakeholders, and must not allow officials from the Department publish bureaucratic legislation which will be unworkable for farmers.”